"That noisy fellow who always has 'Lord Jashin' on his lips? Hmm... It's just as well he was sealed; it saves me from listening to his boring rituals and nonsense. And being sealed... Hmph, it's not artistic at all. Death should be a grand explosion!"
He remained obsessed with his artistic way of dying.
Kakuzu's green eyes flickered with a calculating light, and his low, raspy voice rang out.
"Hidan... It's a bit of a pity."
He was the only one who could be his teammate without fear of being killed, but compared to that, he was more concerned about the chakra hearts he had lost and the potential delay in his bounty mission rewards.
The head of Sasori's Hiruko puppet slowly turned toward the direction of Obito's severed arm, emitting a voice devoid of emotional fluctuations.
"Immortality? In the end, it's nothing more than a mortal shell. Being sealed is the limit of his ability. Eternal art... is the ultimate pursuit."
To him, Hidan's value was far inferior to that of a powerful puppet material.
Hoshigaki Kisame carried Samehada on his shoulder, a half-smile appearing on his shark-like face.
"Oh my... That's unfortunate news, Mr. Pain, Mr. Madara. However, that fellow Hidan wasn't quite right in the head, and his abilities relied too much on specific conditions. Samehada doesn't seem to like the taste of his wicked chakra flavor either? With one less troublemaker, perhaps our operations will be more efficient?"
His words seemed to carry regret, but in reality, they were laced with indifference and a hint of detachment.
Tendo Pain listened in silence to the members' almost indifferent reactions, his Rinnegan showing no ripples of emotion.
For the Akatsuki, a group composed of S-rank rogue ninjas, the bonds between members were already weak to the point of non-existence.
Hidan's fanatical faith and bizarre abilities were, in the eyes of others, merely 'tool' characteristics to be utilized.
When a tool is damaged, regret is only for its functionality, not for the passing of a 'comrade.'
Pain did not angrily question Obito why he failed to save Hidan, nor did he show any mourning for Hidan's 'sacrifice.'
What he cared about was whether the organization's combat power was damaged and whether the plan was hindered.
Hidan had disappeared as an 'inconvenient but uniquely effective' tool, so the strategy would be readjusted.
That was all.
At this moment, Obito's remaining left arm tightly clutched the stump of his right shoulder.
His crimson Sharingan stared through the hole in his swirl mask, locking onto the figure lazily leaning against the wall in the shadows.
The one codenamed 'Suzaku,' Takuno.
"Heh..." Obito's voice was hoarse, carrying a bit of anger but more mockery.
"The Five Kage are exhausted, comrades are heavily besieged, and even Hidan has been sealed as bait... yet someone is here, watching a good show?"
The atmosphere inside the tower instantly froze.
Deidara temporarily stopped fiddling with the clay in his fingers, and Kakuzu's green eyes gleamed.
The tail of Sasori's Hiruko swayed slightly, and Hoshigaki Kisame shouldered Samehada, his shark-like mouth splitting into a silent grin as he looked at the two in confrontation with great interest.
Tendo Pain remained standing expressionlessly, his Rinnegan coldly observing everything without stopping it or taking a stance.
Hidan's 'sacrifice' caused no ripples in their hearts, but Obito's anger and the spearhead pointed at Suzaku were a new 'drama.'
Takuno slowly raised his head, a lazy expression on his face.
He clapped his hands gently, the sound of applause particularly abrupt and jarring in the silent tower.
"It was indeed a good show, Mr. Madara."
Takuno's voice carried a hint of lazy banter.
"Minato's Flying Thunder God combined with the Four Symbols Seal was timed to perfection; even I almost wanted to applaud him. As for watching the show..."
He shrugged, his posture casual.
"I don't have the mission to capture the Eight-Tails. Besides, didn't you all return 'safely'?"
"Except for your arm, and that overly devout Jashin follower?"
"Then tell me, what exactly is your mission?" Obito's voice was extremely cold.
"My mission?"
Takuno laughed softly as if he had heard an extremely funny joke, the laughter echoing in the empty tower with a heart-chilling coldness.
"Mr. Madara, it seems the pain of your severed arm has caused cracks in your judgment as well."
The smile on his face suddenly vanished, and his eyes became deep and cold.
"Since the Akatsuki's goal is the Tailed Beasts, and the only ones remaining outside are the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails."
"Then my 'mission'..."
Takuno slowly raised a hand, his fingers spread.
Buzz!
An invisible wave rippled outward from the center of his palm.
It wasn't a violent chakra shock, but a more eerie spatial ripple.
The space in front of him was like a canvas torn by an invisible hand, suddenly splitting open into an irregular, pitch-black rift!
A chakra aura so violent it seemed capable of incinerating everything surged out from the rift!
Roar!!!
A roar filled with endless hatred and the desire for destruction directly pierced through space, slamming into the depths of everyone's soul!
The pain and violence contained in that sound made Deidara cover his ears, and the Earth Grudge Fear tentacles of Kakuzu squirmed uneasily.
The joints of Sasori's Hiruko made a slight grinding sound, and even Pain's Rinnegan constricted for a moment.
The Samehada blade on Hoshigaki Kisame's shoulder trembled violently, emitting a sharp, piercing hum.
The scales on the blade opened and closed uncontrollably, and the bandages at the hilt writhed frantically.
It transmitted a chaotic emotion of extreme longing mixed with a hint of fear, like a starving beast wary of a trap!
Through the torn spatial rift, everyone could faintly see.
Within a massive and complex golden barrier composed of countless flickering symbols, a colossal orange-red beast that took one's breath away was firmly imprisoned!
It had nine madly dancing giant fiery fox tails that seemed capable of churning the world, sharp fangs gleaming with cold light, and crimson vertical pupils burning with a fire of hatred enough to incinerate reason!
It was the leader of the nine Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails, whose power was enough to destroy heaven and earth!
Although it was just a glimpse, the colossal form, the pure and extreme destructive chakra, and the roar of hatred from the depths of the soul all proclaimed its identity!
The Nine-Tails, tightly bound and imprisoned by Golden Chains and countless Sealing Runes, struggled in vain, letting out space-shaking roars but unable to break free from the cage even an inch!
"This... This is?!"
Kakuzu's raspy voice carried an unmaskable shock for the first time.
"The Nine-Tails! Genuine Nine-Tails chakra! Hmm!"
Under Deidara's golden bangs, an unprecedented fanatical light erupted in his eyes; it was the excitement of an artist seeing the ultimate 'material.'
Sasori's Hiruko head turned toward the rift, remaining silent.
Tendo Pain's Rinnegan stared intently at the sealed beast in the rift; behind his cold face, no one knew what he was thinking.
But capturing the Nine-Tails, research shows, was indeed one of the most critical parts of his plan!
Takuno withdrew his hand expressionlessly.
The heart-chilling spatial rift closed as abruptly as it had appeared, and the violent roars of the Nine-Tails and the destructive chakra aura vanished instantly, as if the soul-shaking scene just now was merely an illusion.
Only the faint lingering heat in the air and the yet-to-settle tremors in the depths of their souls proved it was by no means an illusion.
He slowly clapped his hands, the nonchalant smile as if watching a farce returning to his face.
His gaze fell upon Obito, whose face was extremely unsightly.
"Mr. Madara, do you still doubt my 'mission' now?" Takuno's voice carried a hint of playful sarcasm.
"The Nine-Tails is right here. It's not like your arm; once lost, it can't be found again.
My mission was completed perfectly, wasn't it?"
He took a step forward, his posture relaxed yet carrying an invisible pressure, closing in on Obito's single crimson Sharingan.
"As for your 'standing by and watching'?" Takuno chuckled softly, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery.
"Instead of being impotently furious here and blaming others for failing to save your face, you should think carefully about why you were so easily seen through by Minato. Why was your Ninjutsu outmaneuvered by a sealing technique that should have been obsolete long ago?"
Takuno's gaze pointedly swept over Obito's empty right arm and his remaining left eye.
"...Your capacity seems to have shriveled along with them. What right does a loser who can't even truly endure and utilize Pain have to question my actions?"
"You!"
The Mangekyo in Obito's left eye spun frantically, and violent killing intent mixed with shame and anger exploded!
Space rippled and distorted violently around him, as if it would swallow Takuno in the next second!
However, Takuno merely raised his hand and casually waved it at the enraged Obito.
"Save your strength, Mr. Madara. The barking of the incompetent is truly a bit noisy."
He stopped looking at the nearly out-of-control Obito and turned his gaze to Tendo Pain, who had been silent as a statue, with an inscrutable curve at the corner of his mouth.
"Pain, Akatsuki's goal is the Tailed Beasts; the Nine-Tails is already with me. Although you didn't get the Eight-Tails, the chakra contained in those Eight-Tails tentacles you obtained is not small, enough for the Gedo Statue to open its eighth eye. As for how to 'use' this pain to 'reshape the world'... that's for you to worry about. I look forward to seeing what kind of dazzling light the ultimate art of 'salvation through pain' you speak of can bloom."
Having said that, without even giving Pain time to respond, Takuno's figure silently became transparent and blurred, finally disappearing completely into the shadows of the cold and damp Amegakure tower.
Leaving only that meaningful trailing voice, as if carrying cold mockery, slowly dissipating.
A deathly silence filled the tower.
After Takuno disappeared, Obito's crimson eye almost bled, distorted Spatial Ripples flickered around him, and blood seeped from his severed arm again.
How did the other party... know that the Gedo Statue doesn't need the complete Tailed Beast to open its eyes?!
In the suffocating silence, Tendo Pain's cold, emotionless voice rang out:
"Enough."
The Rinnegan slowly swept over the members with their various expressions, finally fixing on Obito.
"A temporary setback is merely the necessary labor Pains on the path to the ultimate goal. Hidan's demise proves that Minato is more of a threat than expected, which also confirms the necessity of 'Pain'."
Pain's voice was flat, as if stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.
"A portion of the Eight-Tails' Chakra has been obtained, and the Nine-Tails is also under control. The conditions for the Gedo Statue to awaken its eighth eye are about to be met."
He slightly raised his hand, pointing to the never-ending cold rain outside the tower.
"This moment of rest is to gather strength for the final harvest. Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame."
Pain's gaze swept over the four of them in turn.
"Repair the damage, replenish your losses. Once your states have returned to their peak... regroup here."
"At the time of the next gathering," purple light flowed in the Rinnegan, as if reflecting a vision of destruction.
"It will be the day the remaining Eight-Tails chakra is fully injected into the statue, and... the cage Suzaku imposed on the Nine-Tails is unlocked, completely incorporating it into the Gedo Statue!"
"Pain will start from here and cover the entire world."
As his voice fell, Tendo Pain's figure slowly dissipated into the shadows, leaving only unquestionable commands lingering in the damp air.
Kakuzu snorted coldly, his green eyes sweeping over Obito's still-bleeding severed arm, then weighing the progress of his Earth Grudge Fear repairs.
"Wasting time is wasting money. The loss of mission rewards and the extra expense of repairing my body... Hmph, there better be a decent plan before the next operation."
The Earth Grudge Fear tentacles wriggled, wrapping around his body as he sank into a crack in the ground, heading directly to find new 'investments' to replenish his combat strength.
Deidara glanced at where Pain had disappeared, then at where Takuno had just stood, his eyes under his golden bangs flashing with disdain for the 'Static Seal.'
"Hmm! Next time, I'll show you what true art is! Explosion is the eternal art! Sealing? Hmph, boring!"
He turned and walked toward his workshop, preparing to create more powerful 'artworks' with clay to prove his artistic philosophy.
The head of Sasori's Hiruko made a slight mechanical rotating sound as he silently controlled the puppet to turn and walk toward the dark room where spare parts and puppet materials were stored.
Hidan's death was merely one less noisy 'consumable' to him; he needed to ensure his puppet army was in perfect condition for the final sealing.
Hoshigaki Kisame carried Samehada, which was still humming slightly, obsessed with the Nine-Tails chakra leaked from Takuno's space, a grin splitting his shark-like face.
"My, my, I'm really looking forward to it, Mr. Pain. Letting the world feel Pain... and letting Samehada taste the Nine-Tails' Chakra. See you next time, Mr. Madara~"
He waved casually to Obito, his figure merging into the thick mist outside the tower, whether to practice his sword techniques or simply find a place to rest.
He had no resistance to Pain's plan; instead, he was happy to witness the birth of 'hell.'
The spatial vortex where Obito was located twisted violently!
His single eye stared fixedly at where Takuno had disappeared, then he looked down at his empty right sleeve, his expression extremely grim.
He couldn't refute Pain's orders, but his hatred for Takuno and his unease over his control of the Nine-Tails were deeply ingrained.
Finally, space swallowed him completely.
He urgently needed to find White Zetsu to repair his severed arm and think about how to guard against that 'Suzaku' during the final sealing, or even... take back the initiative.